Floor-polishing device



June 17, 1930. T. R. PONTON FLOOR POLISHING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 7, 1927 In ven for Thomas R. P012 ton a v 35 m w io J3 L 2 P11 m ln l ww 9 4 1 m Maw K W? C if 1.] 4 X W i O 3 III. um 15 x 7 F0 0 4 4 e N 413 June 17 1930; T. R. PONTON FLOOR POLISHING DEVICE Filed March '7, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1J2 ven for Thoma; R. Pan ton I Attorney Patented June 17, 1930 PATENT OFFICE THOMAS R. PONTON, 01 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA FLOOR-POLISHING DEVICE Application filed March 7,

My invention relates generally 7 to floor polishing devices, but more specifically to an electrically operated mechanism adapted to be arranged to both apply the polishing material and thereafter rub it down to polish the surface.

Broadly considered, my device comprises a frame, suitably mounted upon rollers or casters, to permit its being manually directed 10 over the floor; a gear driving mechanism for rotating the spreading and polishing brushes; a suitable motive power for driving the gear mechanism; and means for automatically feeding the polishing material to the spreading brushes.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of a mechanism. to automatically spread the polishing material over a surface in a thin and even coating. This is accomplished by my mechanism through the feed means, in combination with the revolving brushes. It is also'an object to combine in the same mechanism means for mechanically rubbing down and polishing the surface after the polishing material has been applied.

It is a further object to provide a feed means for the polishing material which will effect the feed simultaneously with the rotation of the spreading brushes, first directing the material to the center of the brush, so that it is picked up and evenly applied by its perimeter. The feed means is madeadjustable so that the flow ofthe material may be regulated as need be.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated the preferred specific embodiment of my invention, it being understood, however, that I reserve the right to make such changes and modifications in structure as may appear to those skilled in the art and will come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my entire device;

Figure 2 is a side elevation, with the handle omitted, the view being taken as indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan'view of the gear box, taken as indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 4;

Figure l is an enlarged transverse, vertical,

1927. Serial No. 173,229.

sectional View, taken as indicated by the line 44 of Figure .3, with some of the parts shown in elevation;

Figure 5 is a further enlarged, fragmentary, detailed plan view of the adjustable front caster wheel;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the parts illustrated in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged elevation of one of the spreading brushes;

Figure 8 is a plan View thereof;

Figure 9 is an enlarged elevation of one of the polishing brushes; and

Figure 10 is a plan view thereof.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the nu- 5 meral 1O designates a. suitable frame, which may be constructed of light angle iron, which supports a base or platform 11. The frame is suitably mounted upon rear caster wheels .12 and a front caster Wheel 13, on which the device may be manually directed over the floor, through the medium of a handle 14. The handle 14 is pivotally connected to the frame 10 by pins 15 to permit its being raised or lowered as desired.

An electric motor 16 is supported upon the platform 11 and may be connected with any suitable source of motivepower through the medium of the usual flexible cord (not shown). This motor drives the spreading g brushes or the polishing brushes, as the case may be, through the medium of a gear mechanism contained in a gear box 17.

The front caster wheel 13 is provided for transportation purposes only, so the device 5 may be moved from place to place without the entire weight ofthe mechanism being thrown on the spreading or polishing brushes, which is the case when the material is being either spread or rubbed down. For that reason this caster is so mounted that it may be locked in the position illustrated in solid lines in Figure Qfor transporting, or moved. to theposition illustrated in dotted lines when it is desired to throw the weight of the mechanism on the spreading or polishing brushes. The means by which the caster wheel 13 is made adjustable is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. The caster may be of any of the usual types, having a stem 18 suitably connected with a yoke 19, so that the latter may rotate freely. The stem 18 is suitably 5 permits the swinging of the caster from the position shown in solid lines in Figure 2 to that shown in dotted lines. The caster is held in the position shown in solid lines by means of a latch 22. This latch consists of a flat strip of metal, bent upwardly at one end to provide a handle 23 for actuating it, and is secured to the platform 11 by means of bolts or rivets 24 extending through a longitudinal slot 25. It may be moved from position shown in solid lines in Figures 5 and .6 to that shown in dotted lines when it is desired to throw the caster upwardly.

The gear box 17 is substantially rectangular in configuration, and of suitable depth to properly house the gearing, and is provided with a removable cover 26. It is supported upon the platform 11 by means of parallel tubular housin s 27, secured to the platform 11 by means of suitable studs 28 extending through flanges 28. The housings 27 are preferably formed integral with the floor 17 of the gear box, and extend upwardly thereinto at short distances, as illustrated in Figure 4.

The motor 16 is operatively connected with the gear mechanism, contained in box 17, through the medium of a shaft 29. This shaft extends through the adjacent wall of the box and may be journaled in a suitable bearing 30 secured thereto. A worm gear 31 is keyed to its inner end, which meshes with gears 32 mounted to rotate about vertical parallel axes on each side thereof. Gears 32 are each fixed upon vertically disposed hollow shafts 33.

As the elements operatively connected to and in association with each of the gears 32 are identical, as illustrated in Figure 4, but one of them will be described, it being understood that the description applies to each.

A shaft 33 is revolubly journaled at its upper end in a bearing 34, and at its lower end in a bearing 35. The bearing 34 consists of a suitable metallic disc 36, secured to the cover 26, having a central bore through which the shaft extends. A felt packing 37 is set into the disc 36 to prevent leakage of oil.

The bearing 35 is supported within a tubular housing 39, depending from the platform 11 co-axially with the housing 27. A sleeve 38 is supported concentrically within the housing 39, by means of a closure collar 40, and a bearing sleeve 41, loosely mounted on the shaft 33, is adapted to rotate within the sleeve 38, the usual bearing metal surface 42 being provided between them. The bearing metal 42 is outwardly flanged around its bottom to extend over the lower end of the sleeve 38 and the sleeve 41. is provided with a peripheral flange 43 at its lower end to engage the outturned flange of the bearin metal.

leeve 41 is held upon the shaft, with its peripheral flange 43 in rotative engagement with the bearing metal 42, by means of a lock nut 44 screwed upon the lower end of the shaft 33.

A tapered bearing seat 38 is formed in the upper end of the sleeve 38 to support a roller bearing, generally designated by the numeral 38*. This may be of any approved type suitable for the purpose. It is supported upon sleeve 41, as well as on the seat 38*, and is held in place by a collar 38 on shaft 33.

A tapered bearing seat 45 is provided in the upper end of the tubular housing 27 and is adapted to receive a roller bearing, generally designated by the numeral 46. This bearing may be of the type shown at 38", and is secured upon the shaft 33, in fixed position, by means of collars 47 and 48. By tightening the lock nut 44 and bringing the peripheral flange 43 of the sleeve 41 into engagement with the bearing metal 42, the roller bearing 46 may be drawn down into proper rotative engagement with the seat 45. By removing the lock nut 44 and sleeve 41 the shaft 33, together with its gear 32 and roller bearing 46, may be removed upwardly through the box 17.

In Figures 7 and 8 I have illustrated the spreading brushes, and in Figures 9 and 10 the polishing brushes. Referring first to Figures 7 and 8, the polishing brush consists of a body portion or back 49, suitable bristles 50 and a connecting stem 51. The stem 51 is tubular, as illustrated in Figure 4, and is secured to the brush back 49 through the medium of an integral flange 52 and screws 53. The lower end of the tubular shaft 33 is provided with a bayonet slot 54 adapted to receive a lug 55 on the upper end of the stem 51. The brushes are thus made removable from the shaft 33. An aperture 56 extends through the back 49 in axial alignment with the bore of the stem 51 to permit feeding of the polishing material to the bristles 50 in the manner and by the means hereinafter described.

The polishing brush illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 is similar to the spreading brush. The stem 51 is the same, being provided with an axial bore and a securing lug 55. -It is secured to the back 49 by means of the flange 52 and screws 53. In this instance the back 49*, which is preferably constructed of wood, has secured to its lower face a polishing element 57, preferably of felt or a similar mate rial. To avoid undue thickness of the felt, the back 49 is somewhat thicker than the back 49 of the spreading brush. Back 49 is also provided with an axial aperture 56, but to-prevent flow of the polishing matespreading and polishing interchangeable in the shafts 33,

rial it may be closed at its lower end by a suitable plate 58.

By the constructions just described, the brushes are made so the spreading of the material may be first effected by the spreading brushes, which are thereafter removed and the material rubbed down by the attachment of the polishing brushes.

A frame 59, preferably of flat metal, extends over the top of the gear box 17, down over its ends, and is removably secured to the platform 11 by means of studs 60. This also holds the top 26 in place by means of lugs 61. Bosses 62 are formed integral with the frame 59 and have internally screw threaded bores 63 therein, in position to be disposed in axial alignment with the shafts Cups 64, for containing the polishing material, are mountedthrough the medium of lower externally screw threaded ends 65 engaging in the bore 63in axial alignment with the shafts 33. Each is identical, so but one will be described. An axialbore 66 extends through the lower screw threaded end 65 in which a tube 67 is secured. Tube 67 extends through the hollow shaft 33, the bore of the brush stem 51, and the bore 56 through the back 49 of the spreading brush, and about one-half inch into the bristles, and it is through this tube that the polishing material is fed to the bristles of the spreading brushes. From the foregoing it is clear that the cups 64, together with the tube 67, may be removed with the frame 59 by removing the studs 60. This will'permit access to the interior of the gear box through the removable top 26.

The cup 64 has a cap 68, screw-threadedly secured thereon, provided with a central aperture through which a screw-threaded stem 69 loosely extends. A cup piston 70, preferably formed of leather or the like, is secured to the lower end of the screw threaded stem 69 by means of discs 71, and an expansile helical spring 72 is confined between the piston 70 and top 68. A thumb nut 73 is provided on the upper end of the stem 69 for adjusting the position of the piston 70' within the cup, spring 7 2 always holding the nut 7 3 in contact with the top 68, except when it functions to force the polishing material downwardly through the tube 67. To facilitate feeding of the polishing material the bottom of the cup 64 is conically tapered, as shown.

For convenience, a Valve 74 may be provided in the lower end of the grease cup, to not only regulate the flow'of the wax, but also to shut it off entirely during the polishing operation. 1

In the operation of the device the -spreading brushes are first attached within the lower ends of the hollow shafts 33. The cups 64 are then filled with polishing material, such as Wax, and the piston 7 O properly adjusted, through'the medium of the thumb nut73, and the valve 74 set to feed the desired amount of material. During the operation adjustments are made from time to time to supply the requisite pressure as the cups 64 empty, suitable force being supplied by the springs 72. The front caster wheel 13 is then thrown upwardly, from position shown in solid lines to that shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, so that the Weight of the mechanism is supported upon the floor engaging brushes and the casters 12. The device is then manually directed over the floor and due to rotation of the spreading brushes the polishing material is evenly and quickly applied.

After the polishing material has been thus applied, the flow of Wax is shut off by valve 74, the spreading brushes are removed and the polishing brushes attached. The manual operation is then repeated to effect a rubbing down and polishing of the surface. -As the polishing material cannot pass through the polishing brushes, feed pressure may be relieved at the start of the polishing operation by raising the piston against the action pi springs 72, as well as by closing the valve It may be noted that the spreading and polishing brushes are disposed in alignment at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the frame. This is done to insure an overlapping of the brushes when the device is moved backward and forward along its longitudinal axis.

The mechanism is lubricated by filling the gear box 17 with hard grease,"which finds its way into the roller bearings and to the lower bearing during operation.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a portable base, power means carried by the base, a hollow vertically disposed shaft, gear means operatively connecting said power means and shaft, a horizontally rotatable brush detachably connected to the lower end of said shaft and having a central aperture therethrough coaxial with the shaft, the detachable connection between said shaft and brush being adapted for quick interchangeability of brushes, a polishing material container including force feed means situated above the hollow shaft, a feed tube extending from said container through the hollow shaft and into the central aperture of the brush.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a portable base, power means carried by the base, supporting rollers situated adjacent one end of the base; a supporting roller situated adjacent the opposite end of the base, said last mentioned roller being liingedly connected to the base to swing upwardly out of floor engaging position and having latch means for holding it in floor cngaging position, a shaft journaled on said base intermediate said supporting rollers, means operatively connecting said shaft and power means, and a horizontally rotatable brush dotaehably connected to the lower end of said shaft and adapted to support the base together with the other rollers when the hingedly connected roller is out of floor engaging position.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24th day of February, 1927.

THOMAS R. PONTON. 

